School of Continuing Studies Renamed for Susanne M. Glasscock

In honor of what is believed to be the largest endowment gift ever made to a university continuing education program in the United States, the School of Continuing Studies has been renamed the Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies.

The name change was made official at a reception honoring donors Susanne and Melbern Glasscock on January 17 at the Cohen House. It is the first time a school has been named at Rice since the Wiess School of Natural Sciences in 1979.

Mary McIntire, dean of Continuing Studies; David W. Leebron, Rice president; and Susanne Glasscock spoke to the crowd of more than 150 people, including donors, supporters, faculty, deans, and vice presidents, as well as Continuing Studies participants and staff.

Mel and Susie Glasscock

McIntire underscored the importance of the endowment gift—the amount of which was not disclosed at the donors’ request. “Because we must continually attract new audiences to our programs,” she said, “we must stay current and at the cutting edge, and we are therefore more vulnerable than the rest of the university to sudden shifts in the economy, world events, and demographic change. The Glasscock endowment will help us maintain stability while we innovate with new programs and initiatives.”

President Leebron remarked on the seemingly insatiable curiosity of the Glasscocks, reading off a partial list of Continuing Studies courses taken by the couple over a nearly 30-year span, covering such varied subjects as Michelangelo, Egypt, American history, Houston history, digital photography, and the stock market.

“Susie and Mel exemplify the ideal of lifelong learning,” Leebron said. “We are grateful for their generosity and support, which will bring lifelong learning to thousands of Houstonians and others who benefit from the School of Continuing Studies.”

Susanne Glasscock, who serves on the Rice Board of Trustees, said she and her husband “are proud to give this gift to Rice and our community. This is our dream. We truly believe in lifelong learning, and we truly want to see Rice and its wealth of scholarship be an active part of our community. We hope this gift will ensure the growth and expansion of Continuing Studies and provide opportunities to extend Rice beyond the bounds of the campus.”

Susanne Glasscock earned her BA in economics from Rice in 1962, while Melbern Glasscock earned a BSME from Texas A&M in 1959 and an MS in mechanical engineering from Rice in 1961. They are the founders of Texas Aromatics, LP, a privately held petrochemical marketing company. He is president and chief executive officer; she served as vice president until her retirement in 2000.

Professional development programs offered by the Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies include courses in human resources, accounting and financial services, paralegal studies, fundraising, and teacher development. Personal development programs include lecture courses in arts, humanities and sciences, studio art and photography, information technology, creative writing, and languages. The school also administers the new Master of Liberal Studies program designed for working adults.